Re-gift baby items (Day 44)

Part of the purging process is getting rid of things that aren't useful anymore.  Like the university text books, files from 1998 (or earlier!), old equipment, and the broken statuary.  As I mentioned a few days ago, when you live in one place for a long time, you tend to accumulate a LOT of stuff.

When you have children, you accumulate a lot more.

Take my house.  After three kids, I think I have every conceivable baby item you could want - clothes (both genders and all seasons), toys, high chair, crib, exersaucer, Jolly Jumper - the list goes on.  And it's all really good quality stuff.  Most of it was purchased as gifts for us, by family, so holds quite a bit of sentimental value for that reason alone.  The items are the kinds of things I don't really want to give to a stranger - they are too personal to put on Freecycle. 

But we're done having children.  DH and I decided shortly after the birth of our 3rd child, that our family was complete.   Now our youngest is turning 3 in two weeks.  She no longer needs a bassinet, crib, baby bathtub or 0-6 month clothes.  I need to move these things out of my space and into someone else's. 

Enter my friend, J.  She is pregnant with her first child, due mid-October.  I ran into her earlier in the summer and found out the delightful news.  Naturally, when I decided that the baby stuff had to go, I thought of her.  I invited her over yesterday to go "shopping" in our basement and see if there was anything that was of use to her.

After two hours, and lunch, her truck was full to the brim.  And my basement was that much emptier. 

I'm a little sad that my baby days are over.  But I'm happy that my things can go to someone who needs them.  And J says that I can come over and visit the baby (and my stuff) anytime I want.